Infant toilet trainer

ABSTRACT

This invention is concerned with an infant toilet trainer ( 10 ) which includes a seat ( 12 ) having an aperture therein ( 18 ), a support formation ( 14 ) for supporting the body of an infant seated on the seat and a base ( 16 ) which can be placed on a seat of a toilet to allow the aperture of the seat to mouth into the bowl of the toilet. The infant toilet trainer of the invention is characterised in that the seat, support formation and base are of unitary construction and produced from a resilient material. These features will allow at least a portion of the support formation to flex towards an infant seated on the seat under the influence of the weight of the infant.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

THIS invention relates to an infant toilet trainer. In particular theinvention is concerned with an infant toilet trainer which can be placedon a conventional toilet seat.

There are various training apparatuses which are used to teach youngchildren how to use a toilet. One example of a common training apparatusis a potty chair which includes a receptacle and a conveniently-sizedseat allowing a small child to sit over the receptacle. These pottychairs are portable and are handy for use as a preparatory device inteaching young children to use a conventional toilet.

Another type of training apparatus which is commonly used is theso-called infant toilet trainer. A standard toilet trainer typicallycomprises a seat formation which can be placed securely on top of aconventional toilet seat. The infant toilet trainer has an aperturetherein which is smaller in dimension than that of a conventional toiletseat, thereby preventing a young child from slipping into the bowl ofthe toilet being used.

A drawback of existing infant toilet trainers which has been noticed bysome parents is that young children often feel insecure when sitting ona conventional infant toilet trainer. It is an object of the presentinvention to address this problem by providing an alternative infanttoilet trainer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided an infant toilettrainer comprising:

-   -   a seat having an aperture therein;    -   a support formation for supporting the body of an infant seated        on the seat; and    -   a base which can be placed on a seat of a toilet to allow the        aperture of the seat to mouth into the bowl of the toilet,

-   wherein the seat, support formation and base are of unitary    construction and are produced from a resilient material which will    allow at least a portion of the support formation to flex towards an    infant seated on the seat under the influence of the weight of the    infant.

Preferably the support formation comprises a backrest, two side supportsand a front support.

More preferably the support formation includes two leg grooves which areformed between the front support and the two side supports for allowingthe legs of the infant to project outwardly from the seat.

Advantageously the seat is at a level which is lower than the level ofthe bottoms of the two leg grooves.

Typically the infant toilet trainer includes a stop formation forensuring that when the infant toilet trainer is placed on a toilet seat,the aperture of the seat will mouth into the bowl of the toilet.

In an embodiment of the invention the infant toilet trainer is producedfrom polyurethane.

Typically the toilet trainer is produced by way of moulding.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of exampleonly, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a top perspective view of an infant toilet trainer inaccordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a top view of the infant toilet trainer;

FIG. 3 shows a bottom view of the infant toilet trainer;

FIG. 4 shows a left side view of the infant toilet trainer;

FIG. 5 shows a right side view of the infant toilet trainer;

FIG. 6 shows a front view of the infant toilet trainer;

FIG. 7 shows a rear view of the infant toilet trainer;

FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the infant toilet trainer at theline A-A in FIG. 2;

FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of the infant toilet trainer at theline B-B in FIG. 2;

FIG. 10 shows a cross-sectional view of the infant toilet trainer at theline C-C in FIG. 2;

FIG. 11 shows a side view of an infant toilet trainer in accordance withthe invention placed on a toilet seat and a infant seated thereon; and

FIG. 12 shows a cross-sectional view at the line C-C in FIG. 2 whereinthe infant toilet trainer has been caused to flex under the influence ofthe weight of the infant seated thereon.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1 to 10 show an infant toilet trainer in accordance with theinvention, generally indicated with the reference numeral 10. The infanttoilet trainer 10 is shaped as shown and comprises a seat 12, a supportformation 14 and a base 16.

The seat 12 is suitably sized for supporting the buttocks of a youngchild who is in the process of being taught how to use a toilet. Theseat 12 includes an aperture 18 which, in use, will allow urine orfaeces to pass though the infant toilet trainer 10 in order to bedeposited into the bowl of the toilet. It is pointed out that thedimensions of the aperture 18 are such that a small child will not beable to slide through it.

The support formation 14 is shaped for supporting the body of an infantseated on the seat 12. The support formation 14 comprises a backrest 20,two side supports 22 as well as a front support 24. The supportformation 14 also includes two leg grooves 26 which are formed betweenthe front support 24 and the two side supports 22. In use, the leggrooves 26 will allow the legs of an infant seated on the infant toilettrainer 10 to project outwardly from the seat.

In this embodiment of the invention the seat 12 is located at a levelwhich is lower than the level of the bottoms of the two leg grooves 26.It is envisaged that this arrangement will ensure that an infant willsit both comfortably and securely in the infant toilet trainer 10. It isfurther believed that this advantage will be present as long as thelevel of the seat lower than the level of the bottoms of the leg grooves26.

The base 16 of the present embodiment has a substantially flat bottomsurface 28 which can be placed on a conventional toilet seat.Specifically, the base 16 allows the infant toilet trainer 10 to belocated in such a position on a toilet seat that the aperture can mouthinto the bowl of the toilet for the reason stated above. In use, theseat 12 will effectively be suspended by the base 16 between the insideedges of a toilet seat on the inside of the bowl of the toilet, notshow.

The infant toilet trainer 10 is further provided with a stop formation30 on its bottom as shown. In this embodiment the stop formationcomprises two protuberances 32. The purpose of the stop formation 30 isto locate the infant toilet trainer 10 in position over the bowl of atoilet and to prevent it from slipping from the toilet once located inposition.

The described infant toilet trainer 10 is produced by way of mouldingthereby providing that the seat 12, support formation 14, base 16 andstop formation 30 are of unitary construction. Specifically, it isproduced from a resilient material, in this case polyurethane, for thereasons that will become apparent from the description that follows.

As persons familiar with polyurethane will know, this material ischaracterised by the feature that it moulds with a closed outer skin buthas an inner region of a porous nature. The skin will enable effectivecleaning of the infant toilet trainer 10 while the inner porousstructure will confer a yielding property of softness to the outersurface which will provide comfort for an infant using the infant toilettrainer 10.

FIG. 11 shows the infant toilet trainer 10 supported on the seat 34 of atoilet 36. A young child is seated on the infant toilet trainer 10 withhis legs projecting through the leg grooves 26. The physicalcharacteristics of the resilient material, as mentioned before this ispolyurethane, is further such that the weight of the child on the seat12 will cause the support formation 14, particularly the side supports22, to flex inwardly, i.e. towards the body of the child, as illustratedin broken lines in FIG. 12 of the drawings. This deformation of theinfant toilet trainer 10 will hold, or at least create the impressionthat it is holding, the child securely. It is envisaged that this willcreate a sense of security in the mind of the child and as a consequencealleviate some of the fears of using a conventional toilet.

1. An infant toilet trainer comprising: a seat having an aperture therein; a support formation for supporting the body of an infant seated on the seat; and a base which can be placed on a seat of a toilet to allow the aperture of the seat to mouth into the bowl of the toilet, characterised therein that the seat, support formation and base are of unitary construction and are produced from a resilient material which will allow at least a portion of the support formation to flex towards an infant seated on the seat under the influence of the weight of the infant.
 2. An infant toilet trainer according to claim 1 wherein the support formation comprises a backrest, two side supports and a front support.
 3. An infant toilet trainer according to claim 2 wherein the support formation includes two leg grooves which are formed between the front support and the two side supports for allowing the legs of the infant to project outwardly from the seat.
 4. An infant toilet trainer according to claim 3 wherein the seat is at a level which is lower than the level of the bottoms of the two leg grooves.
 5. An infant toilet trainer according to any one of the preceding claims including a stop formation for ensuring that when the infant toilet trainer is placed on a toilet seat, the aperture of the seat will mouth into the bowl of the toilet.
 6. An infant toilet trainer according to any one of the preceding claims which is produced from polyurethane. 